My Own Magic
by capitolexpectations
Summary: AU. When muggle born Brittany Pierce is accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry she is terrified that she won't be good enough and won't fit in, but with the help of Santana Lopez she begins to believe in her own magic.


**Disclaimer:** _Characters and Setting belong to JK Rowling and Glee._

I bite my lip to stop the tears spilling out of my eyes. "What if you forget about me?" I ask.

"How could we forget you?!" Daddy gasps. "Of course not, sweetheart.""I promise we'll write to you every week, and we'll send treats too."

"Okay." I sniff, flinging my arms around them both. "The train will be leaving soon, you should probably say bye to Lord Tubbington."

"There's an empty carriage honey, you better go before anyone else gets it." Mum says, her eyes are red like she's going to cry.

I nod and pick up my trunk and Lord T's cage. "I'll write all the time. I love you."

They both hug me tightly then stand back as I drag my trunk into the carriage. I take a deep breath before sliding the door open.

It isn't empty like mum said. A tiny girl is sitting alone, staring out the window. She frantically wipes the tears off her face and clears her throat. "I have hayfever." she croaks, looking embarrassed.

I nod sympathetically. "So does my daddy, don't worry, they'll probably have medicine at the school. Could you hold this for a second please?" I ask, holding Lord T's cage out.

She reluctantly takes it and holds it at arms length as I struggle to pull my trunk into the compartment.

"Thanks!" I sigh, dropping into the seat across from her just as the train begins to move. I push my face up against the window and wave to mum and daddy, it looks like daddies hayfever is playing up too.  
The girl begins to cry silently, waving to an elderly woman. it takes twenty minutes for her to stop.

"I'm Brittany." I say, holding out my hand.

She glares at me suspiciously, then takes it. "Santana."

"That's a pretty name!" I beam. "Who were you waving to?"

Santana's face falls again. "My grandmother."  
I nod sympathetically. "I had to say goodbye to my nana yesterday, it was horrible. Daddy promised everyone would write though. I'm sure your grandma will write to you."  
"How can you be so positive?" Santana asks.  
"Because we're going to Hogwarts! Are you not even a little excited?!"

Santana rolls her eyes at me. "Well obviously I'm excited, I've been planning this since I was four. I just hate saying goodbye to my family."

"Are all of your family magical?" I ask.

Santana nods proudly, "Yeah, my grandmother has written lots of books!"

"Wow." I gasp, I hope I wouldn't be behind everyone else. "I didn't even know magic existed until I got my letter! Mum thought it was a joke at first but Professor Dumbly wrote another nice letter explaining everything."

"I think you mean Dumbledore." Santana smirks, but not unkindly. "The greatest wizard ever."

"Do you know a lot of magic?" I ask, letting Lord T out of his cage.

"My gran taught me a lot of spells and charms but she never let me actually practice them."She tells me, rolling her eyes. "Do you?"

I shake my head. "Daddy says I'll catch up soon though. Do you have a pet?"

"Nope. We have the family owl, but she has to stay at home with gran."

"You can share Lord T with me if you want." I say shyly.

Her face lights up. "Thank you, Brittany." I like the way she says my name.

"That's okay." I reply.

The compartment door opens and a friendly old lady walks in. "Hello dears, would you like to order anything to eat?"

I shake my head. "No thank you."

Santana however orders a whole bunch of different sweets, drinks and cakes. I pull the bag of peanut butter sandwiches mummy made me earlier out of my bag. They look rather sad compared to Santana's feast.

"No offence, but they look horrible. Want to share with me?" Santana asks.

I desperately want to say yes but I don't want to waste the sandwiches. "I'm okay, thank you."

"How about we split the sandwiches, then share the sweets?" Santana suggests.

That's sounds fair. I open the bag and pass her a sandwich. She pulls a face but eats it all, then when we finish she passes me something called a chocolate frog. I jump back in fright as an actual chocolate frog jumps out of the packet and onto the window.

"Look Santana!" I call. "It's like magic."

"It is magic, silly." She replies, grabbing the frog quickly. "You have to be careful with them, they're always trying to escape."

She passes it to me and I examine it closely. "Am I meant to eat it?"

Santana nods. "Yep, they're my favourite."

"But it's so sweet. Can't I keep it as a pet?" I ask, stroking it's head.

"Sorry Brittany, it'll melt if you do that." She stands and opens the train window. "You could put it out here if you want."

I eagerly jump to my feet and go to her side. I kiss the frogs head then let it out of the window. It vanishes instantly.

"Thank you." I say.

She shrugs. "Come on, let's finish the rest."

We eat until we're full then we release the rest of the frogs. "Do you think we'll be in the same house, Santana?"

"I hope so. Gran wants me to be in Ravenclaw or Slytherin. She'll kill me if I'm put in Hufflepuff."

"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?" I ask.

"Everyone says the people in it are stupid." she explains.

She must notice how nervous I look as she quickly says: "Don't worry though, that's all rubbish. Only the kindest people get put in Hufflepuff."

I smile gratefully at her. "I hope I'm in the same house as you. It will be nice to have a friend."

I could swear that I see Santana blush slightly. "That would be great."

When a bell rings indicating that there is only ten minutes until we arrive, Santana suggests we change into our robes. "I feel ridiculous." I laugh, waving my massive sleeves about.

"You look lovely." Santana says, before blushing again. "Come on, we better get moving if we want to get to a boat."

A woman called Professor McGonogall stands in front of us and tells us what is expected of us at Hogwarts and the process of being sorted into our houses. The strange hat she's wearing distracts me and I don't pay any attention.  
I only know it's time to go into the hall when Santana nudges me with her elbow. We get told to walk in pairs, I want to go with Santana but a boy gets put beside me instead.

"I'm Brittany." I say, smiling at him.

"So?" he replies, rolling his eyes.

I'm trying to think of a witty reply, but Professor McGonogall opens the doors before I can say anything.  
The hall is massive. The ceiling never seems to end and the four tables are full of students. Everyone around me fidgets self consciously, but I can't stop staring at the stars. I notice Santana doing the same.

We walk down the centre of the tables until we reach a stool with the old sorting hat on it. Santana explained on the train what it does, but I still can't help jump when it opens it's fabric mouth and begins to speak.  
The first name called is a boy named Artie. He awkwardly walks up to the stage and sits on the stool. I try not to giggle at how silly he looks with the old hat on. Almost immediately it calls: "Ravenclaw!"  
The table at the far right of the hall gives a loud cheer and Artie rushes over happily.  
The next sortings pass smoothly until a boy named Finn Hudson becomes the first person to be put into Hufflepuff. Although the Hufflepuff table cheers loudly, several people around me laugh and make comments under their breath.

I start to bite my nails as I wait for my turn. I don't think there's anything wrong with being kind but I don't want anyone laughing at me if I get sorted into Hufflepuff.

I get bored and stop listening until Santana's name is called. I find out her surname is Lopez.  
She looks bored when she sits on the chair, but I see her hands fidgeting with the sleeve of her robes.

"Hm, you're a tricky one." The hat says. Santana's face pales slightly. "You have the potential to be in Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, but where do you truly belong?"

I can't bear the silence as the hat makes it's decision. Santana looks like she could faint.

"I think..." The hat pauses dramatically, and I cannot help lean in. "Gryffindor!"

I cheer and clap loudly as Santana walks over to her new table. It looks like she's trying to look like she doesn't care, but there's a small smile on her lips. Her new housemates slap her on the back and shake hands with her. She eventually sits beside another new first year, a pretty girl with blonde hair who starts talking to her as soon as she sits down. I frown, I hope Santana doesn't like her more than me.

I get distracted again and start counting the stars, it is only when the boy beside me gets called up that I focus again.

"Noah Puckerman, you're another hard one to place."

Someone behind me whispers, "Hufflepuff," which gets a laugh from their neighbour.

"Gryffindor!" the hat declares. Noah jumps off his seat and saunters over to the Gryffindor bench, looking smug.

"Brittany S Pierce."

I walk forward and sit down nervously, then try not to back away when the Sorting Hat is placed on my head.

"No need to be frightened, Miss Pierce." The hat chuckles darkly.

I have to sit on my hands to stop myself from biting on my nails.

"You have a very interesting mind. Very pure. Maybe too pure. "

Don't put me in Hufflepuff, Don't put me in Hufflepuff.

"So you don't want to be put in Hufflepuff, ay?"

I blush at being caught out. "No offence."

"Well don't say I'm not generous, Gryffindor!"

I gasp and run over to join Santana at the Gryffindor table. I wonder why everyones laughing, then I realise I forgot to give the hat back. I awkwardly return it, then squeeze into a space beside Santana. She beams at me.

I lose interest and spend the rest of the sorting whispering to Santana. She tells me about some of the people who's family names she recognises, then tells me the names of all the teachers.

Dumbledore is sitting at the centre of the teachers table, looking around the hall at the new first years with interest.

"He looks like Santa." I whisper to Santana.

"What's a Santa?" She replies, looking confused.

I open my mouth to answer then notice Dumbledore is staring right at me. I don't know what to do so I just wave nervously at him. He nods back at me, look amused.

McGonagall waves her wand then the hat and chair vanishes. I raise my hands to clap but a nudge in the ribs from Santana tells me I shouldn't.

Dumbledore gives a welcoming speech, then claps his hands so the benches are instantly filled with food. I can't help but gasp as a plate of chicken wings appears before me. "Tuck in!" he calls, and I decide I like him.

"I'm so glad we're in the same house!" Santana says, beaming at me as she loads her plate with pasta. "Gryffindor wasn't grans first choice for me, but I'm sure she won't mind!"

"At least it's not Hufflepuff!" the blonde girl cuts in. "I'm Quinn Fabray."

"Brittany S Pierce." I reply, then have to repeat myself once I've finished eating so she can't actually understand. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." She replies politely. "What do your parents do Brittany?"

"My mum works in the library and my dad is an accountant." I tell her. "Yours?"

"Daddy's head of the department of confiscated goods in the Ministry of Magic and Mother runs the house." Quinn replies, looking slightly smug. "Is your father an accountant for the Ministry?"

"Her parents are muggles." Santana explains for me.

"My mum's a witch and my dad's a squib." Noah butts in. "Makes no difference, I'll still be the best in the year."

Quinn raises an eyebrow at him but doesn't say anything.

"Both my parents are muggles too." Says another boy, joining the conversation. "I'm Sam by the way, Sam Evans."

We all say hello, and I notice Quinn blush slightly.

It seems like forever ago since I ate on the train so I stuff myself with everything on the table. Mashed potatoes, stew, casserole, chicken, beef...

Once dinner has finished and Dumbledore has made a speech, we are told to follow the prefects to our common rooms. Our prefect shows us that to get into the common room we must tell a password to a portrait of a fat lady.

"The password changes regularly." The prefect says. "This week it is Pumpkin Juice, do not forget."

I recite it in my head a couple of times so I remember. After the prefect says the password, the picture moves slowly to the site, revealing a passage into the room. It looks cosy, with lots of nice chairs and tables scattered around and a large fire going. There are steps all round leading to what I guess are the bedrooms.

"Berry, Fabray, Lopez, Pierce." The prefect calls. "You will all be sharing. Up those stairs there, thank you."

I run up the stairs and quickly choose a bed. My trunk appears on my bed with Lord T's cage on top. I quickly let him out and show him around the room.

"This is our new home!" I say, hugging him tightly.

Quinn and Santana walk into the room, followed by the other girl.

"Hello, I'm Rachel Berry." she says, looking nervous

"Hi! I'm Brittany! This is lord Tubbington." I tell her. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Where have I heard your name before? I feel like I recognise it" Quinn asks her.

"Oh, my father's run The Quibbler newspaper." Rachel explains proudly.

I've never heard of it, but by the way Quinn and even Santana are laughing, I guess it must be something bad.

"Wow." Is all Quinn says, before she flings herself down on a bed.

Rachel doesn't react, she just goes to the remaining bed, chooses her pyjamas, then moves her trunk. She changes quickly, then burrows herself in her covers without saying goodnight.

"I hope she's not as crazy as her parents seem!" Quinn laughs.

I don't like the way Quinn talks about Rachel, but I especially don't like the way Santana laughs along.

"Goodnight Rachel." I call, getting changed into my own pyjamas then crawling into bed with Lord T.

I hear Quinn whispering then Santana calls, "Goodnight Brittany."

I whisper a reply then snuggle


End file.
